So What's the Word on the 2013 Beaujolais Vintage?

WINE TALK
1

Just got my first offering of Roilette for 2013.

Have not seen any chatter yet about the vintage.

2

Seems a bit early for this, but then, on schedule, they need to appear.

Sorry, haven’t heard squat about it yet.

3

Funny, I was about to pose this same question when I found the thread. Jancis reports brutal vintage conditions, but no mention of the quality of finished wines. http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a20130823.html

4

As I have an ITB friend who lives there and drinks these daily, here is the report.

A bit more tannin and structure than normal (smaller grapes at harvest), ripe but not overripe fruit; a small crop. Definitely a vin de garde (has the structure to age well).

5

Don’t know, but I’m sure I’ll buy some LaPierre.

6

I just bit on the Roilette Tardive.

7

A few months later, I’m curious as to others’ thoughts on the vintage. The wines I’ve had so far include: Dupeuble, Coudert, Lapierre, Thivin, and PdC Cuvee Ambassades. On the whole, they seem to have greater density of fruit than their 2012 counterparts, but also more tannin and structure than say, the 2011 vintage.

What are some other impressions? Any standouts so far?

Thanks in advance,

Bill

8

All I can say is that I enjoyed the 2013 Lapierre (even thought it’s still early) much more than the 2012.

9

Same here!

10

I drank some 2013s over the last few weeks. Many wines I liked a lot better than their 2012 counterparts. My absolute favorite so far: Ch. Thivin Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Zacharie, of which I have already reserved 6 bottles. But I was told that the Chapelle is also really good. The other 2013s I’ve drunk so far:

Gaget - Morgon Côte du Py: quite good really, hard to say because it seemed super young still. Bright fruit, slatey notes.
Chermette/Vissoux - Beaujolais Coeur de Vendanges: This is a wine I preferred from 2012. The vineyard gets hot in the summer and a cooler year like 2012 benefits this wine.
Chermette/Vissoux - Beaujolais Blanc: Much better than the 2012, easy to like, bright fruit, fun wine.
Raphael Chopin - Regnié “La Ronze”: According to the merchant, the worst wine from the 2013 line-up. I thought it was really quite good, I’m curious how the rest will be, especially his Morgon Archambault (a fantastic Morgon for those who didn’t know yet)
Dominique Piron/Domaine de la Chanaise - Beaujolais Blanc: not bad, but not fantastic either. A bit bland after all.
Dominique Piron - Fleurie: Really good, structured for a Fleurie, will need some years.
Julie Balagny - Fleurie “La Grande Rose”: Not that great, some glue, heavy acidity, doesn’t seem very balanced.
Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois (Coudert-Appert) - Fleurie: Here, I very much preferred the 2011, this seemed a bit dull and muted (no cork issue though)
Domaine de la Grand Cour (Jean-Louis Dutraive) - Fleurie: Great, quite rich actually, seems richer than the vintages before, but a well structured wine of finesse. These will be hard to find though (Dutraive was fully reserved already middle of last year on his 2013s)
Pascal Granger - Juliénas: Disappointing, but that’s not the vintage, but the wine. Dull, bland, rotten fruit flavours.

11

I’m drinking the “lowly” 13 Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais, a Kermit Lynch import, and I can’t believe how good it is. Frickin’ intoxicating. Buy it and be prepared to be gobsmacked.

12

Some good stuff here, thanks guys!

13

I’m drinking the same wine this evening and am loving it as well. I’m not gobsmacked only because I’ve come to expect the Dupeuble to be so consistently superb, year after year.

14

best since 2012!

15

Really digging the 2013 Thivin almost as much as the 2011, a vintage where I bought 2 cases. The lip-smacking red fruits, Minerality, and salinity is doing a number on me. A tad grapey - it is young - but the structure is solid. An easy purchase.

16

[highfive.gif]

17

At the recent Chambers Street Wine/ Louis/Dressner tasting last month, both Domaine de Terres Dorées and Clos de la Roilette were showing 2013. I thought the wines were delicious, although much lighter than the 2009s. What I heard from the producers was a preference for 2013 over 2012–they thought 2013 a better vintage for longer-term cellaring than 2012.

18

Guess this is old news by now….just realized the original question came 9 months ago.

19

No need to apologize. What you said is relevant and timely.


BTW, I think it’s generally agreed that the '09 vintage was very unusual.

20

Thanks. They reaffirmed that 2009 was a very good year for cellaring….which I did and which my wine tasting group (not populated with many Beaujolais fans) will discover in a few years’ time.